Happenstance (A Tom Hiddleston Story)
by Aint It Fun
Summary: Stella isn't one of those girls. Despite living in the heart of New York City, her pop culture knowledge is embarrassingly limited...according to her roommate anyways. And she definitely doesn't do celebrity crushes. In fact, she's sworn off crushes in general ever since her ex ran away with her best friend. These days she spends most of her time hiding in Common Grounds, the coff
1. Playlist and Cast

Let me just begin by saying that this is a story idea that's been weaving in and about of my head for months so I finally decided to put it down on paper. I don't know how often or frequent updates will be, but I'll be writing whenever I have time. Keep in mind- this is not a story based on tons of factual evidence. I've never met Tom (sadly) so I don't know what he's actually like. Nor am I going to do tons of research on his schedules, where he lives, how often he films blah bah blah. Because this is a fanfiction and I'm just going to make things up as I see fit. Just a little reader discretion there. Anyways, I hope you love it as much as I love Tom.

 **Playlist**

 **No particular order, just songs that I either listen to while writing this or songs that remind me of the relationship I've created between Stella and Tom.**

 ***Force of Nature** by _Bea Miller_

 ***Chasing Rubies** by _Hudson Taylor_

 ***Mess Is Mine** by _Vance Joy_

 ***Death Of A Bachelor** by _Panic! At The Disco_

 ***More Than You'll Ever Know** by _Nathan Sykes_

 ***Never Stop** by _SafetySuit_

 ***Stay** by _Thirty Seconds To Mars_

 ***Dancing On Glass** by _St. Lucia_

 ***Shut Up and Dance** by _Walk the Moon_

 ***Helplessly** by _Tatiana Manaois_

 ***If You Ever Want To Be In Love** by _James Bay_

 ***Let You Know** by _Shane Harte_

 ***Talk To Me** by _Kopecky_

 ***There's a Place** by _The All-American Rejects_

 ***Die A Happy Man** by _Thomas Rhett_

 ***Think I'm In Love** by _Beck_

 ***Lover** by In _The Valley Below_

 ***One And Only** by _Teitur_

 ***Hold back The River** by _James Bay_

 ***Home** by _Edward Sharpe & The Magnetic Zeros_

 ***Only Love** by _Ben Howard_

* **Wonderwall** by _Ryan_ _Adams_

 ***Fade Into You** by _Mazzy Star_

 ***Beauty in the Breakdown** by _The Scene Aesthetic_

 ***Let Go** by _Frou Frou_

 ***Unpack Your Heart** by _Philip Phillips_

 ***Collide** by _Howie Day_

 ***Closing Time** by _Semisonic_

 ***According To You** by _Orianthi_

 ***Can't Stop The Feeling** by _Justin Timberlake_

 **Cast**

 **Emilia Clarke** as Stella Grayson

 **Tom Hiddleston** as His Delightful Self

 **Julianne Hough** as Mia


	2. Chapter One

Thirty more minutes until I could make my escape. I repeated this delightful mantra over and over in my head as I scrubbed vigorously at the huge, brown coffee stain on the middle of my once clean shirt. I knew I was only making it worse, but I was too far into the process to just give-up. Where was a bottle of Shout when you needed one anyways? Mia was always saying I need to look on the bright side more. Okay, so what was the bright side here?, I asked myself. I had ruined yet another perfectly good shirt, but I also had once again escaped the possibility of a third degree burn. What an incredibly depressing, dull bright side. I glanced up from the sink towards the clock on the wall. Twenty-nine more minutes.

I jumped as the shop phone suddenly began ringing shrilly from near the register. I abandoned trying to save my shirt, tossing the rag I'd been scrubbing with into the sink before scrambling for the phone.

"Common Grounds, this is Stella." I answered with a false note of cheerfulness. My facade immediately slipped away as I heard the familiar voice on the other end. "Oh hey, Clara. No, it's just me here." I'd almost forgotten it was a Monday. Clara always called and asked for her schedule on Monday. Like it was too much of an inconvenience for her to actually come into the shop and see for herself. She babbled for a moment before finally asking the inevitable. I sighed, rolling my eyes. "Your schedule? You don't say. Sure, just one second."

I double checked that the front of the shop was still free of customers before disappearing into the back office to check the schedule board. The office was cluttered with stacks of paper and empty coffee mugs, looking more like a hoarder's space than an actual business office. That was typical of my boss, though. Great guy, horrible organizational skills.

"Tomorrow you're in from 5am to 12pm. " I leaned forward, using my free hand to track Clara's hours on the colored sheet of paper. "Wednesday-" I was cut off by the sound of front door opening, the tiny little bell tinkling as it signaled the arrival of a customer. I groaned. Less than a half hour before close and someone needed a coffee fix? "Hey, I got somebody up front. Just be here tomorrow at 5." I clicked the phone off and set it on top of the desk.

I arranged my features into my fake happy face for customers before emerging from the office and heading back behind the counter. My smile faltered, though, as I glanced around the room and saw it empty. Weird. Maybe they changed their mind? At that exact moment, a small crowd of photographers stampeded past the window shouting and looking around mildly confused. I perked an eyebrow, wondering who the unfortunate victim was this time. Just last week I'd watched as Jennifer Garner got ambushed by paparazzi on her way out of a taxi cab. She'd looked as poised and gorgeous as ever, though. If it'd been me, I'd probably be on the front cover of People magazine for punching someone in the face. Hence why I'd make a terrible celebrity.

"Evening!"

An embarrassing squeak of surprise escaped me as I whirled around at the sound of a voice. "Holy shingles, don't you know it's rude to sneak up on people!" I exclaimed, placing a hand over my racing heart.

I'd been too preoccupied staring out of the window to have noticed the man now standing on the opposite side of the counter. My eyes quickly swept over him. He looked like he'd just stepped out of the pages of GQ magazine. He was tall. Like very tall. And his suit clung to his lean, slender frame incredibly well. Too good looking for this side of town. He belonged somewhere in Manhattan.

He gave me a sheepish smile, sliding his hands into the front pockets of his pants. "My apologies, I was trying to be inconspicuous." He spoke with a crisp British accent, only adding to my deduction that this was a man who belonged somewhere much swankier than Common Grounds.

Inconspicuous. A lightbulb went on in my head. So this is who those paps had been after. My curiosity was definitely piqued as I tried to casually study him without being noticeable. So far, while incredibly handsome, his face wasn't ringing any bells. "Can I get you something?"

"Just a coffee."

I glanced behind me to see what was still hot before turning back to face him. "All I have left is decaf. Is that okay?"

"Probably the better option considering how late it is." He agreed, checking his watch.

I grabbed a cup from the stack on the counter and as I poured his drink, I ran through the list of all the male celebrities I knew in my head. I couldn't come up with a match, though. Not Ryan Gosling, not Zac Efron, not Ben Affleck. It was an embarrassingly short list. Pop culture knowledge was Mia's thing, not mine. I snapped a lid onto his cup and pushed it across the counter towards him. "$2.75." I announced, tapping some keys on the register screen. "So who are you anyways? The paps don't just chase anybody down the street." I asked as nonchalantly as possible, sneaking a glance at him.

He perked an eyebrow at me before digging his wallet out of his pocket. "You really don't recognize me?" He didn't sound the least bit offended. His tone was more curious than anything. Was I the only person in New York City who didn't know him?

I shook my head. "No, sorry. Actor or model? Or wait, singer?"

He let out a laugh as he slid his money across the counter towards me, eyes dancing with amusement. "Just actor. In the movies, not telly."

I was momentarily distracted by his use of the word telly instead television but shook it off. "Okay, maybe if you tell me something you've been in." I suggested as I put his money into the register.

He held out his hand for his change and I dropped it into his open palm. "Thor, Avengers...," He trailed off, watching my expression expectantly.

"Ah, okay. Well that's why then. I don't like super hero movies," I explained, leaning back against the counter and crossing my arms over my chest.

His eyes were a bright, striking color of blue. One corner of his mouth had quirked upwards in an amused smile. "Really?"

"Nope. The whole one guy showing up, single handedly saving the day, and giving everyone a happy ending is a little too farfetched for me. I'm not much for heroes."

"You're in luck then. I don't play the hero...I play the villain." He teased as his smile grew. It was a little unfair how distracting he was. I wanted him to go away so I could think straight because this was dangerous territory. Who knew what ridiculous things I'd say or do for a face like that.

"Really? You definitely look more the hero type to me." I said with an air of surprise. "Aren't the heroes supposed to be incredibly handsome, and the villains hideous?" My voice betrayed me, making the question sound flirty when I hadn't intended it to come out that way at all. Damn him and his perfectly quaffed hair.

"They made an exception for me." He winked.

I flushed against my will. Damn it, he was charming. "And what is said name of this villain you play?"

"Loki." He answered simply.

I wrinkled my nose. "That's a terrible super villain name."

He let out a laugh. "Well, it's the name of an actual god from mythology. Thor's half brother. I'm sorry it's not up to your villain name standards, however."

I realized he was teasing me, and the flirtatious nature of his smile made me flustered. I combated with a halfhearted roll of my eyes. "Well in that case..."

He didn't seem deterred. "What's your name, love?"

"Stella."

"Stella." He repeated and I felt a small, unexpected thrill rush through me at the sound of my name leaving his lips. Double damn him. "I'm Tom."

"No last name?" I asked, raising my eyebrows.

"I don't get very many chances to be just Tom so I'm taking advantage of it." He smiled at me broadly and I understood instantly what he'd meant. While I obviously lived under a rock and had no clue who he was, the rest of the world knew and recognized him as Tom Whoever, the famous actor. Here, right now, he could be just Tom. I was struck by the realization of what a strange existence it must have been, to be someone famous. His eyes appraised my curiously from over the rim of his coffee cup as he took another sip and I fought the urge to fidget under his gaze. "Perhaps I'll see you again?" He finally asked.

Perhaps you'll what now? I managed a shrug. "Perhaps, Just Tom." Oh, that was smooth.

He gave me one final movie star smile before turning and disappearing out the front door. I watched as he raised his hand from the curb and cab pulled up along side. I waited until the car door had shut and concealed him from view before slumping against the counter. "What the hell just happened?" I asked aloud.

I ran my hands through my hair and paused, cursing underneath my breath. I'd forgotten about the giant, unappealing coffee stain on my shirt. What a lovely first impression. I scurried towards the front door and quickly twisted the lock, flipping the open sign to closed.

I dug my cellphone out of my back pocket and quickly maneuvered to my contacts list, selecting a name. I held the phone to my ear as it began ringing. Wait, what was I even doing? My roommate answered before I had a chance to hang up. "Nevermind, Mia. Wrong person!" I quickly said, hanging up. I'd been about to drill her on actors named Tom who played super villains in important Marvel films but changed my mind. I didn't want to know. That would make it seem like I cared more than I should have. Why did it matter who he was, or what he did for a living?

He'd wound up in Common Grounds by complete chance and that was that. We'd talked, I'd poured him coffee, and he'd left. And somewhere in there he had very flirtatiously smiled at me and said some things in a British accent that I found very charming. Which was even more reason why not to look up him and figure out just who he was. I was not one of those girls who gushed over celebrities. I was not one of those girls that formed crushes on men I'd only just met. That was stupid.

My phone rang as Mia tried calling me back. I rolled my eyes and answered. "Everything is fine, stop calling me." I hung up for a second time and pushed myself off the door to finish closing up the shop.

#

I was ready to fall over, dead on my feet after a long day, by the time I'd finally made the long traipse home and stumbled in through the front door. Mia was sitting at the kitchen table, flicking through a magazine with her legs curled up beneath her. She arched an eyebrow at me.

"Hey weirdo, what was with the phone call?"

"Wrong person." I answered shortly, shrugging off my backpack and dropping it on the floor. She rolled her eyes, but didn't push it. She went back to looking through her magazine as I leaned against the counter and reached for the pile of mail. "Anything good?"

Before I had time to even register what was happening, Mia glanced up and eyes widened as she saw me reaching for the mail. She was out of her seat in less than a second, swiping the stack out of my reach. "Junk. All of it." She said quickly. She picked a letter from the top of the stack and pushed the rest back across the counter towards me.

I narrowed my eyes at her but she held on firmly to that one single cream colored envelope. My heart dropped a little. "What don't you want me to see?"

"Just trust me, Stell. It's better for you to remain oblivious."

I snorted. "Bullshit."

I wrestled the stack of mail from her hands and turned my back on her, shifting through the envelopes until I found what she had been trying to hide. I looked down at the cream colored envelope, addressed only to Mia. Not to me. I stared at the cursive, neat handwriting for a moment longer, hesitating. I knew Mia was right. She was thinking in my best interest for me since I clearly couldn't. Still, I couldn't stop myself from tearing open the envelope and pulling out the rectangle photograph inside.

'Save the date! Shawn and Catherine are getting married! Formal invitation to follow!'

Hatred suddenly began to curl inside of me, pushing itself to the service. I glared at their smiling faces, at the gorgeous ring sitting on her finger. I'd been harboring a petty hope that he would have started balding, or spontaneously lost all of his teeth or something. No such luck. He was still gorgeous and so was she.

"Stella, you okay?" Mia asked quietly, coming up behind me.

I forced my eyes shut, swallowing back the hurt. Mia had been right trying to hide this from me. I cleared my throat and smoothed my expression before turning around. "Fine. I'm fine." I lied. I handed the invitation back to her. "I'm sure it'll be a lovely wedding." My voice betrayed me.

"Are you kidding? I'm not going to their wedding." Mia said in an obvious tone, immediately popping the lid of the trash can and tossing it in. "Personally, I think it's a little rude they sent me anything at all considering you and I are still roommates."

I gave her a pointed look before reaching in and pulling it back out. I pushed it into her hands. "It's okay if you want to, really. I get it." I sucked in a deep breath and let it out slowly. "Anyways, it's been a year. I should be over it, right?"

Mia shook her head and wrapped her arms around my middle, dropping her head onto my shoulder. "I don't care how long it's been. I refuse to go to my best friend's ex boyfriend's wedding to said best friend's ex-friend. Wow, that's a complicated sentence."

I let out a laugh despite myself, hugging her back. "Well, whatever you do about ex-boyfriend's wedding to ex-friend, I'll still love you best."

"You wanna eat ice cream out of the tub and watch reruns of Friends?" She asked, lifting her head to look up at me.

"Nah, it's all good. I'm not gonna let it bum me out." I decided, untangling myself from her hug.

"Yikes, that's a mighty big stain you have there." Mia said, pointing towards my shirt.

I frowned down at the shirt. "Yeah, I know." My mind almost immediately rewound right back to a certain very tall very attractive unknown celebrity sipping a cup of coffee a mere three feet away from me.

I debated with myself for a moment, before giving in. I jumped up onto the counter, swinging my legs. Mia was pulling out the ice cream anyways and grabbing two spoons from one of the drawers anyways. "Mia, you know movies. Who's the actor that plays the bad guy in the super hero hammer movie?"

She gave me an incredulous look from over her shoulder, before bumping the drawer shut with her hip. "You mean Thor? One of the most popular super hero movies of our time?"

I shrugged and she nodded. "Right, your super hero movie embargo. Anyways, said actor is Tom Hiddleston. Why do you ask?"

My pulse jumped a little at the confirmation of his first name. Not that I'd thought he'd been lying, but still. It was New York. You couldn't be too careful. "Well, this Tom character may or may not have purchased a cup of coffee from Common Grounds today."

She froze would a spoonful of ice cream halfway to her mouth. "Hold on a second, Tom Hiddleston comes into where you work, orders a coffee, and you wait until now to tell me? Or wait, is what that phone call was about?"

"I didn't want to make it a big deal! I didn't even know who the guy was!" I protested, snatching up the extra spoon lying on the counter between us.

She leaned back against the counter and let out a dreamy sigh. "God, what I wouldn't give to get him in my make-up chair just once."

I raised my eyebrows. "And if I didn't know you, I would think you were implying something sexual rather than something job related."

She scoffed. "Oh, he's gorgeous. No doubt. But I'm happily tied down." She beamed. I pretended to gag at the mention of her new boyfriend, a camera man she'd met on set of the latest project she'd been hired on. I valued the fact that Mia was used to being up close and personal with celebrities now more than ever. She didn't get all insane about encounters with them. "Is he beautiful in person?"

"Considering I've never seen him before today, I have nothing to compare him to." I said honestly and she gave me a pointed look. "But yes, fine. He's is gorgeous." I admitted grudgingly.

"Was he nice? He seems like he'd be nice."

I ate a spoonful of ice ream and thought it over. "Very polite. And charming. He has a nice smile."

Mia was smirking at me and I lightly kicked her with my foot. "Stop, I was just answering your question. "

"Should've asked for his number." She shrugged.

I took one last bite of ice cream and hopped off the counter, tossing my spoon into the empty sink. "You're insane." I answered simply. The idea of asking anyone out was uncomfortable enough, let alone someone famous. "I'm not trying to mortally embarrass myself. Besides, I don't date actors." I suddenly decided as an afterthought.

"Oh really? Since when? Should I add that to the list?" She joked, pointing with her spoon to a sheet of notebook paper taped to the fridge. Mia had started to compile a list of my 'date dealbreakers' after I began rejecting every single guy she tried setting me up...too loud, wears too much cologne, lives with his mother, likes nickelback... All valid reasons in my opinion. The list was mostly a joke, but I saw the point she was trying to make.

I shrugged. "Go for it."

"No problemo." She grabbed a pen and scribbled 'no actors' at the bottom of the list. "Narrowing down options pretty quickly here."

"Well, actors get paid to pretend for a living. That probably means they're great liars." I said matter-of-factly.

"That's actually a valid thought, but I still think you're nutty." Mia shrugged.

"And on that note, I'm going to bed. I have an early shift tomorrow." As if to prove my point, a large yawn escaped me. Mia waved her spoon at me, calling goodnight as a trailed down the hallway to my bedroom.

I shut the door behind me and began shedding my clothing, making a mental note to do something about the coffee stained shirt the next day. I went through my typical night routine before finally curling up in my bed underneath a comforter. I set my alarm on my phone, but paused before putting it on my nightstand. The urge to open up the browser and search 'Tom Hiddleston' was suddenly slightly unexpected and overwhelming. Even if it was just so I could once again confirm who he was and also possibly get another look at his perfection. I was turning into one of those girls, wasn't I?

My thumb hovered over the safari button but I abruptly changed my mind and shoved my phone onto the nightstand. I rolled over so the temptation was no longer in sight. "Freaking Tom Hiddleston." I muttered before shutting my eyes.


	3. Chapter Two

**A/N: Short update but the next one should be longer and ready to go by tomorrow. Happy reading! :)**

I woke up five minutes before my alarm the next morning. I could already hear Mia moving around in the next room as she got ready for work. I laid in bed, waiting for the alarm to actually go off. Unlike me, Mia had no problem getting up and going most mornings. Also unlike me, Mia had a successful and interesting career. That she had also studied and worked hard for. Also unlike me who had never even attempted college. My alarm suddenly began ringing shrilly, abruptly ending my personal pity party.

It was my day off. However, I'd been attempting to be more of a productive human by forcing myself to get up anyways. Otherwise, I'd lie in bed all day and watch Netflix or prowl youtube and never get anything done.

I didn't just work in the coffee shop, though. I was also trying to write a book. This had been increasingly hard, though, considering my laptop was still trapped inside of Shawn's apartment. I refused to go and get it.

Actually, I refused to speak to him in general or partake in anything that had anything to do with him.

So instead, I'd bought a crappy, cheat little laptop that broke down on me approximately once a month. I'd taken it to the computer doctor at the beginning of the week and was looking forward to picking it back up. I'd been trying to write in a notebook and it just wasn't working. Hand cramps. Smeared ink. No thanks.

I dragged myself into the kitchen and poured a cup of coffee. Mia was just shrugging on her jacket.

"Morning!" She grinned at me. I made a face at her. Mia was a morning person. I was not. "Come on, it's gonna be a good day! You get your laptop, you get a day off…you met Tom Hiddleston yesterday."

I rolled my eyes. "Still don't know who he is."

"Who cares? You have eyeballs, right? He's gorgeous." She countered.

I shrugged, mainly to annoy her. Of course he was gorgeous. However, I preferred to deny Mia the satisfaction of showing any sort of interest in any male specimen. No matter who he was. "He's okay."

She pursed her lips. "You're a horrible liar, you know."

I shrugged again before taking a sip of my hot coffee.

"Well, hey, here's some good news for you." She ignored me and I smirked a little. "Landon had to leave early for that shoot."

I knitted my eyebrows together, leaning back against the counter. "And why is your boyfriend being out of town good news for me? Oh, wait…is it because I no longer have to watch you be all gross and cute together?"

Mia perked an eyebrow. "I'm immune to your sarcasm. So no, that's not why. He's out of town so he can no longer be my date to that charity gala next weekend." She paused, looking at me expectantly.

It took me a few seconds to get what she was trying to say. "Oh no…no way! Last time it was a total disaster."

"Oh come on! It was fun!" She insisted.

"I spilled wine all over that Vampire Diaries girl." I groaned, the traumatizing memory resurfacing from where I'd tried to bury it. "And she was pissed."

Mia wrinkled her nose. "Well, yeah. She was pissed. But I mean, other than that it was fun."

I gave her a glare. "We have very different ideas of fun. You fit in…you do their hair and make-up and know all their secrets. You're like a chameleon. And I'm your awkward…chimpanzee friend who just is an embarrassment."

"Chimpanzee?" She snorted.

I nodded. "And that's me being nice to myself."

Mia was shaking her head as she picked up her purse from the island counter and shouldered it. "You need to take a good long look in the mirror, my friend. I'm running behind, but we'll talk tonight. You're going. You need to get out, Stells…" She trailed off, and the conversation instantaneously took on a more serious tone. "Look, I know it sucks. But living like a hermit isn't doing you any favors. I miss the real you."

I sighed, staring into my coffee cup. "Yeah, I know."

She squeezed my arm as she walked past towards the door. "They're both assholes. You're a thousand times better."

I knew she meant Shawn and Catherine. I didn't know if she was right, but I loved her for saying it anyways. "It's too early for this sap. Get outta here." I forced a grin at her.

She rolled her eyes. "The gala. You're going." She didn't give me a chance to respond before slamming the door shut behind her.

"Am not!" I shouted to the closed door. It was silent on the other side, though. "Am not." I muttered again despite the fact that I knew I would. Or more likely, Mia wouldn't give me a choice. Deep down, I was a little grateful for that.

#

Right before I was due to leave to pick up my laptop, the phone rang. Ironically, it was the laptop people calling to inform me that my device was a little shittier than expected, therefore wouldn't be ready until the following day. Perfect. I'd hung up the phone feeling a little deflated.

I sat down at the kitchen table and pulled my notebook towards me, flipping it open to the last page I'd been working on. I skimmed through it and made a face. I still couldn't figure out a logical way to get the main character and her love interest together. Everything I tried seemed to too cliche. Too overused, or possibly too far-fetched to even be believable. On this page, I'd sketched out ideas of them meeting at the super-market. Their carts would accidentally bump and they'd laugh it off before discussing…what? The nutritional value of eggplant? I drew a huge 'X' over the page. Boring. Besides, grocery stores weren't cute or romantic.

An idea suddenly popped into my head and I flipped to a blank page. In the empty margin, I wrote two words accompanied by a question mark: coffee shop?

I tilted my head slightly to one side as I studied the words. Not a bad idea. Coffee shops could be cute. And possibly romantic. I'd seen plenty of couples cozying it up in Common Grounds. And I'd seen plenty of strangers strike up conversation in line. Once a girl I worked with even wrote her number on a cup for a customer. Of course I had a rule against giving my number out to complete strangers, but apparently that wasn't the case for all of humanity.

I thought about what Mia had said the night before, about how I should've given Tom the actor my phone number. I imagined myself writing it on the cup and handing it to him…only for him to immediately frown at me and throw the cup in the trash before walking out. Whether or not that was a realistic scenario, I had no clue. However, it was still a possibility. Hence why I never gave my number out and why never in a thousand, million years would I try and think a celebrity would willingly take my number.

Still, that didn't mean my main character couldn't give hers out in a coffee shop.

I opened Spotify on my phone and scrolled through my dozens of playlists. Mia made fun of me because I had a playlist for every occasion (including cleaning the bathroom and doing the laundry). I found writing playlist #4 and hit shuffle. As the music started playing, I set my pen to paper and got to work orchestrating a meeting between a girl and a boy in a coffee shop.


	4. Chapter Three

"Tell Addy I'm not wearing anything hideous with puffy sleeves." I said around a mouthful of coco puffs.

My mom sighed loudly on the other end. "She's not going to pick something you won't like, Estella."

"Oh, should we talk about the birthday tea incident?" I reminded her, taking us headfirst into an event that had happened almost fifteen years ago. "When she insisted we all had to wear those stupid straw hats with the flowers on them? In public?"

"That's a little overdramatic considering how young you both were."

"I'm just saying, mom. I get that it's her day and all that, but shit I'm not wearing anything that resembles grandma's wallpaper." I tossed my empty cereal bowl into the sink, grabbing my apron off the kitchen table.

I heard the sound of a door close on the other end and knew my mom had left the kitchen where she and my sister were busy wedding planning so she could say something to me without her overhearing. I braced myself, punching the down button for the apartment elevator.

"Honey, I know you've had a tough year but I need you to be a little more accommodating. Addy is really excited for you to be her maid of honor…you could show a little excitement too." My mom pressed.

I felt a stab of guilt as the doors slid open and I stepped inside. "It's just that…she's twenty-two, mom. That's a little young to be getting married. And she's only been with Mason for-"

"It's her decision. Not mine, not yours. I know you don't believe in getting married in your twenties, but you're not your sister."

I was quiet for a moment, biting back a torrent of statistics and facts on why young marriage hardly ever worked out. Along with all the bitterness I felt at having suddenly found myself very single and alone the day my sister had announced she was getting married, almost one whole year ago. "I know." I finally sighed defeatedly. "I'm sorry. Tell her I'll get whatever she wants. Just tell me where to go and what to buy."

"You'll look perfect in anything, honey."

I smiled a little, leaning against the elevator wall. "Thanks, mom."

By the time the elevator had reached the ground floor, I'd averted yet another wedding crisis with my sister (once again thanks to mom) and was on my way to work. I still was having a hard time getting used to the fact that my baby sister was going to be a married woman in just a few months. And I knew I'd been a pretty awful maid of honor. It all had just been sprung on me at the worst possible time, though. It made me feel extra shitty to know that instead of putting my time and energy into helping Addy, I'd used it to mope around and complain and make her feel less important. I chewed my lower lip as I sent a quick text to her, letting her know I was sorry and asking what she needed help with. At least I had a few months to try and make up for being so crappy.

Maybe if I'd paid a little more attention, or I'd been a little stronger, I could've avoided having my heart stomped all over by Shawn or at least come out of it on top. It seemed like he'd walked away from the situation with everything- the apartment, my best friend, my laptop….I felt myself sinking and knew I needed a distraction fast.

I put in my headphones and hit shuffle on me 'pick me up' playlist for the rest of the walk to work. And against my better judgement, sent a text to Mia.

S: If you're dragging me to this shindig, I'm gonna need something nice to wear.

She answered almost right away, catching me by surprise.

M: Consider me the fairy god mother to your Cinderella…maybe I can even snag you a Prince Charming.

S: Unfortunately I live here in the real world where there are no Prince Charmings.

M: Trust in me, ye of little faith.

The corners of my mouth quirked upwards in a smile as I shook my head. The world would have been a much better place if ex-boyfriends happened less and Prince Charmings happened more. Fortunately, I knew better than to lose myself in fairy tales.

#

It was a slow morning, the usual rush dying down early. I was finished by noon and itching to finally pick up my laptop from the shop down the street. The guy who slid it across the counter towards me look apologetic but assured me "it'd get me by for a little longer'. So naturally, I wasn't exactly ecstatic to give him my credit card.

Regardless, I was happy to have a keyboard and screen back. I tucked it underneath my arm as I sipped on a caramel macchiato and walked back outside into the cloudy gray afternoon. The weather on my phone promised a rain storm, but so far not one actual drop had fallen from the sky.

I postponed heading back towards the apartment and instead wandered from shop to shop, searching for nothing in particular but not ready to go home quite yet. It was Friday, which meant Mia'd be working late. It'd be a good night to get in some writing.

I was absentmindedly flipping through a rack of scarves when there was suddenly a loud clap of thunder. I jumped and looked out the window just in time to see a flash of lightning followed by a sheet of rain suddenly plummeting from the sky full force.

"Ah, shit." I muttered. I rummaged through my purse for my mini umbrella only to realize, that quite stupidly, I'd forgotten it at home. Sitting on the kitchen table right by the front door. "Joyous." I mumbled.

I pulled up the hood of my sweatshirt and pushed out into the rain. People around me were opening up umbrellas and ducking for cover. I stepped out onto the curb and began trying to flag down a cab. I was drenched within minutes, my clothing completely soaked through. "Come on!" I pleaded under my breath as yet another occupied yellow car rushed past.

I waved my arm frantically as a cab came closer. The next five seconds seemed to happen in slow motion. It was like a scene from a horrible 90's sitcom as the cab not only failed to slow down, but splashed right through a puddle near the side of the road and unintentionally doused me with water. I sputtered, wiping dirty puddle water from my face.

"Are you kidding me!" I shouted after the retreating yellow cab. I huffed, hugging my laptop closer to my chest and silently thanking Jesus above that I had thought to bring a case for it.

And just as I thought things couldn't get worse, I felt a pair of eyes on me. I lifted my gaze towards the opposite side of the street and my mouth fell open. "This is a joke. My life is a never ending, cruel joke." I muttered to myself, shaking my head in disbelief.

For right directly across from me, on the other side of the busy intersection, was none other than Tom Hiddleston. Unlike me, he was completely dry, carrying a black umbrella and looking like he'd just stepped off a fashion show runway. I was hoping he wouldn't recognize me, considering I looked like a drowned rat, but the way he was smiling at me said otherwise. He held up a hand, signaling me to wait right where I was. Lucky for him, I seemed to be frozen to the spot.

What were the chances? One in a million? No, one in a billion. One in a gazillion trillion so on forever and ever because how was this even happening? A one time run-in with an apparently famous celebrity was one thing, but twice in a week? Either he was stalking me, which honestly was the most laughable joke on planet Earth, or the Gods were conspiring against me to make me look like an idiot in front of the most gorgeous man I'd ever laid eyes on. First the huge brown coffee stain on my shirt, and now this.

The pedestrian walk sign came on and he was across the street in less than a minute and at my side. The rain abruptly stopped as he stood close to me, holding his umbrella over both of us. And lord, he smelled good. I fought the urge to lean in closer. How dare he lure me in with his perfect face and his equally perfect scent?

"You." I was saying before I could stop myself. "I mean Tom. I'm not stalking you, I swear." My god, I was a true idiot. Just what every famous man wants to hear.

He let out a surprised laugh. It was an incredibly contagious sound and even more of an incredible look for him. I was helpless. Completely helpless. "Considering I was debating going back to the coffee shop just to see you again, perhaps it's me following you." He teased, giving me a grin. "You look absolutely miserable by the way, love. Adorable, but very wet."

I managed a shrug, trying not to reel too much from the words leaving his mouth. Something about adorable and wanting to see me again. Or had I imagined that? What was wrong with me? "I'm soaking wet, stuck in the middle of New York City and can't catch a cab to save my life." I managed to say.

"Care to share a ride? My cab flagging skills are quite impressive." He offered with another heart shattering smile.

I hesitated for a moment before nodding. "Go ahead, let's see these said skills."

He held out his arm and seconds later, a yellow cab was pulling up to the curb.

"It's only because you're so tall and they can see you better." I joked, still in a daze and trying to wrap my head around what was happening.

He let out another laugh as he pulled open the cab door and gestured for me to climb into the back. "You're absolutely right, that must be it."

I glanced around quickly, expecting to see hordes of photographers or ogling fans, but no one was paying either of us any attention. Too busy trying to stay out of the rain.

I scooted over to the other side of the cab, the dry, warmth enveloping me. I pushed my hood back and tried to comb through my wet tangles with my fingers. Tom tossed his closed umbrella onto the cab floor before climbing in after me. Was I really about to share a cab with Tom Hiddleston? I tried to side eye him without him noticing. He was dressed in a light blue colored button down that matched his eyes and I immediately kicked myself for having such a cliche, idiotic thought. I tore my eyes away before he could catch me staring.

"Where to?" The cab driver called over his shoulder.

"Do you mind taking us to two addresses? I'll pay the difference." Tom offered.

"Oh, no. You really don't need to." I said hurriedly, fumbling for my wallet.

"Look, you let me hide out from paparazzi in the middle of your work shift. Therefore, let me pay for the cab."

I hesitated for a moment before nodding. I cleared my throat and gave my address to the driver, trying not to listen to closely as Tom gave his. Or to wherever he was going. I didn't want him to think I really was a stalker who'd memorize his address and show up at his house. Although I was sure there were plenty of people out in the world who were crazy like that.

"What were you doing out in such a god awful downpour?" He asked curiously as the car pulled out into traffic.

"Picking up my laptop." I explained, remembering the rectangular device I was still hugging close to my chest, as if it were some sort of life support. "Where's your entourage?"

He gave me an amused look, a smile curving his lips. "Suppose the rain must be keeping them at bay." His eyes flickered to the computer I clutched in my arms. "You must have the answer to the secrets of the universe on that laptop…"

I realized he was teasing me about my death grip on the device. I rolled my eyes and tried to relax. "Not exactly. Just my writing."

Tom's eyebrows lifted. "So you're a writer then?"

I wrinkled my nose and shook my head. "It's more like a hobby. I'm not published or anything."

"But you're trying to be?" He asked.

I shrugged, feeling weird and for some reason embarrassed about sharing my far-fetched dream to be a writer with a famous man who was about a thousand times more successful than I could ever hope to be. "Maybe. I'm pretty good at making coffee, so I don't want to let that talent go to waste."

He laughed, eyes crinkling at the corners in a manner that was entirely too adorable. Oh lord, save me. He placed a hand over his chest. "I can personally attest to that."

"Thank you, maybe you could promote me to all your fellow super hero actor friends."

"I can, although they might be more offended than I am about the fact that you have a strict policy against super hero films." He said playfully.

"It's not my fault I have such refined tastes." I shrugged and immediately was hoping I hadn't offended him. He was still grinning at me, though, looking more amused than ever. Sarcasm was like an automated shield. Anytime I felt awkward or unsure of myself, it immediately went up. I was on fire at the moment.

"And where does a girl with such meticulous, refined taste come from I wonder?" He asked.

"Connecticut." I answered.

"Small town?"

I narrowed my eyes slightly. "You ask a lot of questions. Aren't you worried I might secretly be some super stalker and not knowing who you are is just an elaborate scheme?"

He shrugged. "I'm just curious. You seem entirely to sweet to be a born and bred New Yorker. And if it's an act, well I'd say you could take my job as it's very convincing. Fancy playing a super villain in a green cape?" He asked with a crooked grin.

I shifted in my seat. "Green's not my color."

"Of course it isn't." He chuckled. "Tell me, Stella, what would it take for me to convince you to let me buy you a drink sometime?"

I felt a momentary lapse in brain function. Was he asking me out? "I don't date actors."

His eyebrow knitted together, a curious look in his blue eyes. "Really? Bad experience?"

"No," I paused, shaking my head as I fought for the right words to explain my current feelings on relationships. "I just don't. Actually I don't really date at all. Anymore."

"I see." He mused. "That's entirely a shame."

He faltered for a moment as the cab pulled up to a curb. "Damn, I was prepared to spend the rest of the cab ride trying to change your mind…but I suppose rejection from a beautiful girl every once in a while is a healthy thing." He winked at me before pulling out his wallet and handing some bills over to the driver.

I was surprised by the slight disappointment I felt that we were already parting ways. And I highly, highly doubted a third chance encounter was likely. Two was already something unheard of.

Outside, rain still poured onto the city streets in sheets. I was surprised when Tom suddenly pressed his umbrella into my hands. "Here, to protect those secrets of the universe." He smiled, nodding at my laptop.

"But-"

"Trust me, darling, a little rain won't bother me."

I was stunned for half a moment by the god damn chivalry of it all. Who was this guy exactly? "Thank you." I said. "I mean, I'll have to sell it on Ebay when I'm done but I'm sure you understand."

My stomach jolted a little when another impish grin flashed across his face. "Entirely understandable. Until next time then? It was a pleasure…" He shook his head. "Bloody shame about the no dating thing, though."

I stared at him wordlessly as he abruptly left the car and disappeared out into the downpour. He slid his hands into his pockets, and with his head bowed against the storm, walking in the direction of sleek chrome building.

"Is he the one in that Avengers movie?" The cab driver suddenly called back to me.

I shook my head. "Something like that."

God, what a weird day. What a weird week.

As we pulled away from the curb, I tore my eyes away from Tom's retreating back and studied the black umbrella in my lap. Had it not been there, I was sure I could have convinced myself that the entire thing had been just a very vivid, realistic dream.


	5. Chapter Four

I was still feeling a little dazed from my taxi ride with Tom the actor when I sat down in front of my laptop. I checked my mail and found three new emails from Addy. I opened each of them up to see photos of bridesmaids gowns, all of them different colors and shapes. And, I admitted grudgingly to myself, none of them hideous. Somewhere deep down, I knew I was being a pain for no reason. Addy had good taste in clothing, and judging from Mason, in men too. Unlike me.

Mia wasn't home from work yet, but I'd sent her a text as soon as Tom had left the cab. I was waiting for her to come bursting in through the front door any second, demanding to know more about the cryptic text I sent which had said nothing more than: SOS Tom encounter #2.

She'd sent back about a million question marks, but I hadn't felt like relaying the entire conversation through text message.

I opened up Spotify and put on one my writing playlists, although instead of opening up the word document, I opened up the internet instead. I needed at least a couple good minutes of procrastination before getting to work. I scrolled aimlessly through buzzfeed, checked my mail again, opened up Facebook and before I could stop my overeager fingers, I was typing in Catherine's name. I clicked on her profile despite my better judgement. We were no longer friends, for obvious reasons, but I could still see most of her page. Including the newest engagement photos of her and Shawn. Looking at the two of them together, arms around each other and smiling without a care in the world, made me simultaneously want to reach through the screen and punch them and shrivel up until a helpless, cried-out heap on the floor. It was like a lifetime movie or an episode of Jerry Springer, only not really. It was my life.

It'd been over a year. And while thing had gotten better, I still couldn't help but wonder why. It would've been easier if he'd left me for a stranger. Instead, I'd gotten left by two people all at once. The most important two. Mia liked to remind me that people like that always got their ass handed to them in the end, somehow. I had to believe she was right. Life wasn't fair, yet did it have to be such an asshole?

I deserved some happiness of my own, right? Wasn't I overdue for that?

I heard a key in the lock of the front door and closed the page. I pulled up a word document and kicked at myself for even creeping on Catherine in the first place. It never helped. The opposite actually.

The door swung open and I felt my pathetic mood dissipate a little when I saw the wide-eyed look on Mia's face. I grinned at her from the table as her eyes narrowed.

"Holy hell, Stella. Way to leave me hanging? I was about this close to walking out on a desperate housewife's haircut to get answers from you." She held up her thumb and pointer finger, barely any distance a part. She sank into the chair next to me. "My feet are killing me, I have hair down my bra so you better spill."

"Okay, okay fine. In a minute." I said, shutting the lid of the laptop. She arched a blonde eyebrow, waiting. "The gala. I'm in." The words spilled from my mouth in a frenzy, as if worried I'd suddenly change my mind and take them back. I hadn't even realized I'd made the decision until a few minutes ago. Happiness. I deserved it. And I deserved to go to some fancy party in a pretty dress with fancy people even though I would probably be an awkward, anxiety-riddled mess by the end of the night. That's what alcohol was for.

Mia's face split into a cheshire cat grin. "Does this mean dress shopping?"

"Sure. And I shared a taxi with Tom Hiddles." I added.

"Hiddleston." She corrected almost automatically before leaning forward. "Dress shopping talk later, although I'm happy you're going. I need to know about this cab ride. How close did you sit to him?"

I rolled my eyes, but could feel the tiny smile tugging at my lips as I told her the story, pointing out the black umbrella resting near the door as proof. A part of me had almost expected it to disappear, like Cinderella's glass slipper. It was still there, including the tiny puddle of rain water on the floor that hadn't dried yet. Proof that for one cab ride, I'd felt a little more interesting than just a twenty-something barista with a cheap laptop and wet hair.

#

Mia and I left the house early the next morning to get the dress shopping done before my shift at Common Grounds. While a part of me was still a little apprehensive about showing my face at one of Mia's fancy famous people parties ever again, I needed something good to look forward to. Plus I remembered reading somewhere that a night out with strangers was good for the soul, that it forced you to come out of your shell. Whether or not that was either true or good advice, I had no idea. I was willing to give it a shot. No red wine, though. Just as a precaution.

We took the subway downtown and I let Mia lead the way through the crowded streets. I liked to shop, but I liked to do it from the safety of my computer. Less crowds and less hauling clothes in and out of fitting rooms. I recognized the shop Mia led us into as the same one she'd taken me to the last time. It was a little more high-end and uppity than any place I'd normal shop, but Mia had pointed out to me that you couldn't just wear anything to a gala. Even if you couldn't afford a designer dress that cost thousands of dollars- the point was to look as though you'd at least tried.

"So what's the event for anyways?" I asked as we meandered through the store, stopping every once in a while to flick through dresses hung up on racks.

"It's to raise money for New York kids in foster homes." Mia answered, picking out a dress the color of a pumpkin and holding it up to me. I raised my eyebrows and she shrugged before putting it back. "It's supposed to be pretty big. Last year Lady GaGa was there, and Sarah Jessica Parker."

"Carrie Bradshaw." I sighed. "We live in New York City…aren't you ever a little sad our lives aren't more Sex and the City?"

Mia snorted with laughter, leading me deeper into the store. "I mean, they could be. If you want to go out every night, drink Cosmopolitans, and meet older men."

"Yeah, you're right. I like the couch too much."

We worked our way through the store, wandering aimlessly and picking up whatever looked decent.

Finally, each armed with a handful of dresses, we headed for the dressing room. In my pile, I had a few I'd picked out and a few Mia had picked randomly off the rack and handed to me. I pulled on a black long-sleeved gown with lace trim, took one look in the mirror, and immediately began shrugging it off. It was like Morticia goes to Vegas. I couldn't dream up a single event in which someone would want to look like that, unless they were maybe headed to a very extravagant funeral. And even then, it probably would've been too much.

I pulled a red dress off the hanger and tried it on.

"Let me see what you've got on." Mia hollered from the room next door.

"Uh, in a minute." I stared at the front of the dress, smoothing my hands over the material. Who on God's green earth had designed this thing?

I stepped out of the dressing room to see Mia waiting for me in a royal blue dress, floor length with huge shoulder pads that reminded me of a football player. I let out a laugh before I could stop myself.

"You like like Cinderella's evil stepmother." I grinned.

"And you look like a slutty fifteen year old on her way to her first prom." She shot back.

I nodded in agreement, checking out my reflection in the three-sided mirror outside the dressing room. "That's actually pretty accurate." I poked a finger at the see-through mesh that revealed strips of my tummy on the sides and in the front. "This was not easy to get on, let me tell you."

"Next. Although I'll keep this in mind for my next Halloween costume." Mia smirked. "Try on that green one, the shorter one." She called to me as she shut herself into the dressing room stall once more.

I moved the hangers around until I found the one she was talking about, a deep forest green color. I wasn't sure I even owned anything green. With nothing to lose, though, I tried it on. It was sleeveless and only came to about knee length. And the color…I was surprised at how much I loved it.

"I'm love it, but I'm not sure it's fancy enough." I shouted to Mia. I left the dressing room and tried to get a good look at myself in the large mirror.

She poked her head out of her own dressing room and beamed when she saw me. "That dress is perfect. Honestly, it looks great on you."

I frowned at my reflection. "Are you sure?"

"Yes." She said with an exasperated sigh. "You don't want to show up in a poofy, long ball gown anyways."

I nodded thoughtfully. "True. And I do hate tulle."

"Exactly." Mia nodded. She leaned her head against the door frame. "Listen, you look amazing. And excuse me for getting all cheesball on you, but I think you forget sometimes that you're a viable option any guy would be lucky to have. Just because Shawn's an idiot doesn't mean they all are." She smiled. "I think you should wear that dress, but I think you should let yourself feel good in it."

Her words were glaringly true. I hadn't really felt the same about myself since Shawn. I had no idea how to let go of that 'not good enough' feeling. It controlled me and stopped me from liking things about myself I always had. I wanted to let it go.

I let out a breath and smiled.

Fifteen minutes later, I was walking out of the store with my wallet and my spirits a little bit lighter.


	6. Chapter Five

The night of the gala, I was a nervous wreck. Which I had every right to be considering a grand night out for me was walking down the street to pick-up my Chinese take out food. Not a soiree filled with wall to wall famous people and their entourages. Mia, as per usual, had played stylist on me. The perks of rooming with a beautician. However, after about the 5th narrow miss with a curling iron against my face, she eagerly booted me from the bathroom when she'd finished. I have patience in many areas of life, but not hair and make-up.

While she finished getting ready, I stood in front of the full length mirror that hung from the back of my bedroom door. I smoothed the pleats in my skirt over and over again, chewing the inside of my cheek as I studied my reflection. Outside of the bright lights of the department store, and without the full effect of a huge mirror, I actually felt more comfortable in the dress. I took a deep breath let it out slowly, remembering what Mia had said. It was once in a blue moon that fancy dresses like this one were an option. So I might as well enjoy it before it went back into the closet for an unforeseeable amount of time. Besides, I did like the color.

As promised, I snapped a photo to send to my mom and sister before skipping into the kitchen to slip on my heels, feeling very much like Cinderella on her way to the ball. Though unlike Cinderella, I planned to be home and in pajamas long before midnight struck. Preferably with a box of pizza.

Mia waltzed into the kitchen, grinning from ear to ear and looking pretty in pink. We grinned at each other, and I felt a rush of excitement. I was wearing a pretty dress, I was with Mia, and we were going out for a night in New York City. I held onto that feeling as we hailed a cab and rode downtown.

My nerves slowly came back, though, as we pulled up in front of a huge shiny skyscraper. All around us, women in ball gowns and men in sharp suits were climbing out of cabs, or handing off the keys to their fancy cars to valet drivers. I swore I saw Meryl Streep but was too nervous to get Mia's attention.

"Relax, Stella. We go in, we drink, we schmooze, we go home. No red wine this time." Mia smirked at me, linking her arm with mine.

"No red wine." I agreed, hoping the actress who'd been the unfortunate victim of my wine spill during the last time I'd tagged along with Mia would be absent.

I concentrated on not falling on my face as we headed up the steps and into the building. It was an entirely different world, which made me even more aware of the fact that I was merely a visitor. Tables draped with deep purple and gold linens lined the walls of the room, all centered around a gleaming wooden dance floor that was currently empty. People milled about in small groups, laughing and chatting.

"There's my boss. Come on." Mia said suddenly, dragging me in the direction of the bar which I was more than happy to be headed towards.

I felt like my neck would be sore the next day, from all the looking around I was doing. My heart skidded to a halt in my chest every time I saw someone I recognized from TV or movies, making a constant effort to keep my jaw from falling to the floor. Mia looked unaffected, but I forgot all the time that was in contact with these sort of people every single day. She was the one who made them look so fantastic. I tried to imagine someone like Jennifer Aniston sitting down in a stylist chair and expecting me to cut her hair. I probably would've passed out and lost my job, and that was the best case scenario.

"Mia! Stella!" Rena, Mia's boss, beamed at us. Her cheeks were flushed pink from excitement, or maybe from the glass of chardonnay she held in her hand. "Get yourselves a drink! I saved us a table nearby." She flicked her dark hair over her shoulder, pointing to one of the draped tables. For a women of almost fifty, I was always in awe of how gorgeous Rena was. But I supposed you had to be in order to run a salon in downtown New York City.

"You can stay here, I'll get in line." I offered to Mia. She started to protest and I shook my head. "It'll give me something to do besides gawk at everyone."

Leaving Mia and Rena, I moved myself to the end of the line and spent the duration of my ten minute wait wondering if the person in front of me was Adele or someone with a very similar beehive like hairstyle.

When it was my turn, I leaned up against the polished wooden bar. The bartender, an older man with greying hair and a matching mustache, looked at me expectantly.

"Two glasses of white wine please. Pinot grigio if you have it."

He nodded and turned, grabbing two wine glasses from the rack behind him. I drummed my fingers against the countertop as I waited, trying to make sense of the colorful mural on the wall behind him. After just a few seconds of waiting, the bartender returned with two very full glasses of wine.

I raised my eyebrows. "That's a very generous pour."

He shrugged his shoulders and gave me a small small. "You look like you need it."

I smiled. "Appreciate it."

I grabbed a glass in each hand and turned, ready to make my way back to Mia. My eyes roamed the room as I walked, unable to stop myself from staring just a little. I brought one of the wine glasses to my lips and took a sip.

I immediately choked on it, though, as I caught sight of a familiar lanky figure with auburn hair and a smile that would make anyone in their right mind weak in the knees. Of course it was him, why wouldn't it be. Tom Hiddleston.

I wiped my chin and realized a man nearby was staring at me. I muttered an apology as I ducked my head and scurried back towards Mia, realizing a moment too late that Ryan Seacrest had just watched me drool wine on myself.

"Here." I shoved the wine glass towards Mia and she raised her eyebrows.

"What's got you all in a fluster?"

I shook my head, taking another gulp of my wine. I had my back turned to the rest of the room, not exactly sure why I didn't want him to see me.

"Is it Beyonce?"

I shook my head, taking another drink.

She narrowed her eyes suspiciously and surveyed the room. I waited for her to see him, knowing without a doubt that she'd put two and two together fast. And sure enough, her lips curved into a knowing smile.

"Oh!" She said, and her tone immediately had me digging my heels into the ground. "We should go say hello."

She grabbed my hand and I shook her off. "No, no, no. Absolutely not."

"Why? You shared a cab, you're practically friends." She insisted.

I snorted with laughter. "Let's not be delusional. We're just two strangers in the midst of New York City who happened to run into each other. Twice."

Mia placed one hand on her hip, surveying me over the rim of her wine glass as she took a sip.

I rolled my eyes. "Don't look at me like that. Let's just, you know, go about our evening and not make a big deal of this."

She shrugged her shoulders, looking unconvinced. "Okay." She said too easily.

"I'm serious, Mia. This is not the time to play celebrity matchmaker."

"Understood." She said, giving me a sweet smile.

Not entirely convinced, I took another sip of wine in an attempt to calm my racing nerves. I had no idea why just the sight of him elicited that much of a response from me. Sure, he was good looking but I knew next to nothing about him. A memory of us sitting side by side in the cramped backseat of the cab, his blue eyes watching me with interest, pushed its way to the front of my mind and I fended it off. No, I wasn't one of those girls, I reminded myself.

#

I finished my first glass of wine a lot faster than I'd meant to and quickly grabbed a second. It didn't make me any less aware, though. I had to mentally kick myself half a dozen times after realizing I was scoping the room only because I was hoping to catch a glimpse of Tom. I was too aware of him and it was making me a little crazy.

Halfway through the night, feeling pleasantly buzzed, my stomach began to growl. I scoped out the appetizer table only to turn away with a frown when I couldn't pronounce half the items being served. I found Mia again, who was deep in conversation with someone about the best way to cut a bob or something blah blah and hovered awkwardly next to her before deciding to get some air.

A set of french doors on one side of the room led outdoors to a huge patio. I pushed my way out into the cool air, glancing around and glad to se the outside area mostly empty except for a few people smoking cigarettes. I moved to the railing, half empty wine glass in hand. We were only a story above the ground, but the city at night time was impressive no matter where you were.

I hadn't been there long when he appeared next to me, his accent more inviting than I wanted it to be. "Hiding?"

My stomach tumbled as I tried to steady my pulse which had sped up the second he'd appeared. I glanced up at him and my mind was wiped blank. It was all I could do not to stare. Damn, could the man wear a suit. He was smiling at me in that crinkly eyed way, hands in the front pockets of his slacks.

"Just needed some air." I answered.

"I can't blame you. These things tend to get a little crowded, don't they?" He said in cheerful agreement, glancing at the glass paneled doors behind us. I watched him, entirely certain I had never been so attracted to another human being in my life. It scared the hell out of me.

He turned back around and smiled softly at me. "So, the other day I shared a cab ride with the most adorable girl…who also turned me down when I asked her out. Imagine my surprise when I see her standing across the room just now. Looking gorgeous in a green dress. What are the chances, eh?" His blue eyes danced.

There was an eruption of butterflies in my stomach, battering to get out. "About one in a million, I'd say." I attempted a smile, feeling uncharacteristically shy in his presence.

"Must be very lucky then." He shrugged, his own smile growing.

"Must be." I took a sip of wine, draining the glass. Thank god for alcohol during times like these…when a beautiful British actor was flirting with you.

"So what brings you here anyways?"

"My roommate, Mia. Her boss owns a fancy salon and invites her every year. Her boyfriend's out of town, so I'm the plus-one." I explained. "And feeling very much like a fish out of water."

"Well, if it's any consolation you seem very calm. And you look stunning." He said and my cheeks flushed as his eyes flickered from the dress and back to meet my eyes. "The first time I found myself in a room with this many people, I about passed out."

I laughed. "For some reason I don't believe that."

"It's true." He said earnestly. "I wobbled around the room. Took about two whiskeys before I felt alright."

I grinned. "I take it you outgrew it? Or are you already two whiskeys in?"

I was entirely too pleased with myself when I made him laugh. "Outgrew it. Although that isn't to say I might need one before the night is through."

I tapped my empty glass of wine. "I might need a dozen more of these." The thought of going back inside was unappetizing, although there was a part of me that didn't see the need to go anywhere at all.

Tom suddenly paused, looking thoughtful. "I think I have a better idea."

I raised my eyebrows curiously but he was already speaking.

"You wanna bail?" He suddenly asked, giving me a lopsided grin.

"What? You mean leave?" I asked in surprise, glancing behind us at the room full of people. "Is that allowed?"

Tom shrugged. "Why not? You're uncomfortable, right? And to be honest, I could do with something to eat."

He was looking at me hopefully and I was trying not to give too much of my thought process away. It was tempting, but then I'd also be a hypocrite. The last time we met, I had made it clear: no actors or famous people.

He must've sensed my apprehension because he let out a laugh. "Stella, I'm not suggesting you come home with me. Just a change of scenery and maybe something to eat besides trays of fancy cheeses with names I can't pronounce."

I chewed my lower lip as I met his eyes. He seemed sincere enough, blue eyes honest but still playful. I let out a sigh of defeat. Oh hell, why not. "Fine, as long as it's okay with Mia."

"Leave it to me." He grinned, suddenly reaching for my hand and lacing his fingers through mine. I tried not to react to his touch, but the zap of electricity was impossible to ignore. If Tom had felt it too, he wasn't showing it as he tugged me through the crowd of people on his hunt for Mia. Finally, I spotted her near the bar. I pointed her out and we abruptly changed directions.

Mia's eyebrows shot up, glancing at our joined hands as her lips curved into a smirk. My cheeks flushed as I untwisted my hand from his grasp. I wanted to tell her it wasn't what it looked like and wipe that shit eating smile off her face.

"I wanted to borrow you friend for a little while, but was told I need your permission first." Tom was saying, eyes dancing with amusement.

Mie pretended to look thoughtful, wine glass in hand. "Hm…that depends. How wholesome are your intentions?"

As if I wasn't already red enough.

"Entirely." He answered easily. "Maybe some food, maybe a walk through Central Park. Stella's made it clear I'm not her type, although I'm still hoping I can change her mind." He was smiling, and I was feeling equal parts mortified and thrilled. Was I fighting a losing battle here?

"In the case, I hope your relentless as hell or it'll never work." Mia smirked. "See you later?" The look on her face suggested she was giving me an out, just in case this wasn't what I wanted. The problem, though, was exactly the opposite. I did want to leave with Tom.

"Don't wait up." I said with a tentative smile.

"Oh, don't you worry about me. Have fun!" She said in a sing song voice.

I felt Tom's hand on the small of my back as he gently steered me out of the party and into the cool night air. I shivered, and Tom was immediately shrugging off his jacket. I opened my mouth to protest, but he was already draping it over my shoulders.

"You're cold. Don't argue, just say thank you."

"Thanks." I said grudgingly, slipping my arms through the sleeve of the jacket. It was way too big and Tom let out a laugh, quickly coming to my aid and rolling up the sleeves just enough for my hands to peek through the ends.

"You look adorable." He quirked a smile.

I rolled my eyes. "I look like a hobbit. Where are we getting food?"

"Luckily for you, I know the best place in New York for food at this hour." He said confidently. Then, he linked my arm through his and the next thing I knew, I was strolling down the sidewalk in a daze having just bailed a very fancy party with a gorgeous man and for the life of me, I couldn't remember how my life had led me to this moment.


End file.
